San Antonio Spurs legend, current Assistant Coach, and 2020 NBA Hall-of-Fame inductee Tim Duncan made his head coaching debut on Wednesday after Gregg Popovich took a leave of absence due to personal reasons.
It was a good first game for Duncan as the Spurs edged out the Charlotte Hornets, 104-103, after rallying back from a 17-point deficit.
After his team’s resilient effort, the 43-year-old spoke to the media about taking a seat in the “big boy chair,” and maintained his ever-present humble vibe:
“It’s night and day, to be in the big boy chair. Truth be told, I wasn’t in the big boy chair… We got Becky and Will & Mitch. Mitch prepped the game for us, Becky and Will were making all the calls and I was the only one just standing there screaming at people, nonsensical stuff. We did it coach by committee and it could have been any one of us out there.”
Tim Duncan
It was pretty typical behavior from Duncan, who has never really been the type to talk a lot.
It’s not surprising that he decided to give credit to the other coaches on the team after the win. He was well-known as a consummate team player who gracefully transitioned from being the superstar of the San Antonio Spurs during their first few titles, to allowing younger players like Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard to become the faces of the team.
Popovich is in his 24th season in San Antonio and is getting up there in age (71). While Pop is still clearly strong and will always be one of the best minds in the game, there is no denying that his retirement is inevitable and maybe even imminent.
When that day comes, who’s to say Duncan isn’t taking his place? After all, the two shared countless wins, countless division titles, and five championships together. Pop is the guy that nurtured the basketball brilliance living inside Duncan and their relationship even looks like its father and son, so you can probably expect to have the same man in the huddle.
There’s a belief that NBA legends don’t make great coaches – Larry Bird is the great exception. Bob Cousy, Isaiah Thomas, and Magic Johnson, to name a few, all had forgettable tenures – Cousy never made the playoffs, Thomas started strong and ended in futility, while Magic couldn’t even finish one season.
However, it’s always tough to pass up someone who has a long list accolades, especially one like Duncan’s – Five-time NBA Champion, two-time Most Valuable Player, 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, and 15-time All-Defense.
Most importantly, you can never question the work ethic, basketball knowledge, and championship experience that he can inject to the players. He’s also a great role model, who famously cut his salary in half for his final contract to keep the Spurs together. That sacrifice was rewarded with one last title.
